School-desk



(NoMQaL) sheets-sheet 1. BAR. SHEPARD. SCHOOL D BSK.

N, Pneus. mmmmgraphr." wnhingm. u4 a Patented sept.81885. n

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. R. SHEPARD.

t t f seHooLDEsK. ,'No. 325,981. i Patented Sept. 8, 1885.

f ATTORNEYS.

N. PUERS. Pholhihographer. Wathnglum. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENTy OFFICE.

ELGIN RODOLPH SHEPAR-D,V` OF NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA.

SCHOOL-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,981, dated September 8, 1885.`

Applcatirn led May 10, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ELGIN R. SHE'PARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Northfield, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SchoolyDesks, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to that class of schooldesks in which the seat may tip to a vertical position to leave more passage-way between the desks; and it has for its object to utilize the back of each seat as a receptacle for books, &c., and as a desk for the next seat behind, to provide an arm-rest that may serve as a desk, and that may be folded out of the way when the scholar wishes to stand, and to fold the seats out of the way when not needed for use.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter'describcd and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a perspective front view of my desk ready for use, a portion of the iioor beneath it being broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective rear view of the same with the seat and table folded.

A represents the seat, which is pivoted at a to an arm, B, of the base O, toV tip over backward.

D is the back of the seat, secured rigidly upon the top of the base C and firmly steadied i by braces E, which may be cast as a part of the base, or may besecured thereto by bolts. The base C is secured to the door by a lagscrew, F, which should pass into one ofthe iloor-joists, G, or into a block of wood beneath the door provided for that purpose. The base may be further secured to the door by means of screws H through the base-plate near its edges.

I represents a desk secured to the back D, and supported by side boards, J.

K is a shelf beneath the desk for holding books, Sto.

L represents a boX, also secured to the back D, for holding atlases, slates, or wide books set therein on edge. y

M is a table, which is the main characteristic of my invention. This table'is hinged at b on a bracket, N, which is secured rigidly to the seat. The table is so formed as to come when horizontal in front of the scholars right side, so that he cannot easily lean far forward while sitting on the seat.' The table is notched backward, restingits top against the seat-back D and holding the table at the end of the back y out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2.

O represents a lid or cover hinged to the edge of the desk to swing down and close the space beneath .the desk-top and the shelf K.

P is a shelf on the lower edge of lid O, having. a ange, Q, to hold books open when the lid is held in a slanting position by means of the brace R, to serve as an adjustable bookrest. The brace R is slotted, and a thumbscrew, S, engages it to hold the shelf P at any required angle of inclination,so that the scholar may adapt it to hold his book in a position to be seen to the best advantage while he sits straight up in his seat.

My table M may be secured by the hinge described to a fixed seat;` or the table may be rigidly secured without a hinge to the bracket N, in the proper position for an arm-rest and writing-table, to be used by the scholar while sitting in a xed school-seat.

m is a spring-bolt on the under side of the table, engaging a hole in the back to keep the table from tipping. The bolt may be Vdrawn as usual to permit the table to be tipped.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y The combination of the base C, adapted to be secured to the floor, the back D` rigidly secured to the said base, the seat A, hung,

to the base by a horizontal hinge parallel to the back, the bracket N secured rigidly to the seat and rising vertically therefrom, and the table M,hung upon the top of the said bracket by ahorizontal hinge whose pin is at right angles to the back, the table being provided with a shoulder, c, adapted to temporarily engage the back as a brace, substantially as shown and described, whereby the table holds the seat in a horizontal position, as set forth.

VELGIN RODOLPI-I SHEPARD,

Witnesses:

F. J. WrLco'X, H. O. DILLEY.

IOO 

